High speed forging apparatus



1366- 1963 o. F. QUARTULLO HIGH SPEED FORGING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 23, 1960 lgl United States Patent 3,115,676 HKGH SPEED FORGKNG APPARATUS rpheus F. Qnartuiio, arasota, Fla, assignor to American Beryllium Company, inc, Sarasota, Fla, a corporation of Deiaware Fiied Nov. 23, 1960, Ser. No. 71,316 6 Claims. (Cl. 18-16) This invention relates to high speed forging apparatus, that is, apparatus for moving dies or press parts together at speeds in excess of 500 or even more feet per second, and, more particularly, is concerend with apparatus for forging beryllium or other metal powders or chips into billets or other shapes.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide apparatus for effecting high speed forging operations of the character described, but known apparatus has been open to the objection that explosive charges are often utilized which are dangerous. Moreover, one die or platen of the apparatus remains stationary with the other die or platen being driven against it at high speed. This necessitates a particularly heavy and expensive structure which is subject to considerable vibration, shock, and breakage during operation. Additionally, the apparatus has been built as a hand held tool rather than as a larger press capable of handling bigger work pieces.

It is the general object of the invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difflculties of and objections to prior art practices by the provision of a relativeiy simple, comparatively inexpensive and light Weight apparatus for moving relatively large forging dies or platens together at high speed with a minimum of shock, vibration, and breakage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a high speed forging press wherein each of a pair of opposed dies, or platens, is moved toward the other at high speed upon the operation of the press, with both of the opposed members being mounted for free-floating movement towards and from each other whereby a large proportion of the shock and vibration normally encountered in conventional apparatus is avoided.

Another object of the invention is the provision of high speed forging apparatus of the character described which is particularly adapted for the forging of beryllium powders and chips into billets and parts, and with the apparatus adapting itself to the heating and the partial compression of the beryllium powders and/ or chips prior to the high speed forging operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of high speed forging apparatus in which provision is made for the adjustable final cushioning movement of the dies or platens and which allows the press to be operated at high speeds, for example, without any work piece between the dies or platens which work piece normally absorbs in the form of work a considerable portion of the energy imparted to the dies or platens.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for performing the process described and claimed in the copending patent application of Orpheus F. Quartulo, Serial No. 61,769, filed Oct. 10, 1960, entitled Method of Making Beryllium Billets and Bodies.

The foregoing objects of the invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by the provision of high speed forging apparatus including a bed plate, a head plate, guide means mounting each plate for movement towards and from the other, a plurality of fluid pressure cylinders mounted on one plate, a piston in each cylinder, a piston rod connected to each piston at one end and its other end adjustably connected to the other plate whereby upon operation of the cylinders the plates are moved towards or from each other, a container for holding fluid under 3,ll5,b Patented Dec. 31, 1963 high pressure, said container being mounted on the plate supporting the cylinders and being positioned equidistant between the cylinders, said container having a main opening connected by branch passages to the cylinders, a valve in the main opening to the container, means for opening the valve to simultaneously connect all cylinders to the container, means for mounting a work piece between the plates to be forged when the plates move towards each other at high speed upon the opening of the valve, and means adjustable in amount and extent, for cushioning the final movement of the plates towards each other.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partially broken away in vertical longitudinal section, of one apparatus incorporating the principles of the invention.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a pair of rails or other guiding means for slidably supporting a bed platen or plate 12 and a head platen or plate 14 for sliding movement toward and from each other on the rails 10. Adjustable stops l6 and 18 may be provided on the rails 10 to limit the movement apart of the platens 12 and f4.

Removably secured to the platen 12 is a die 20 which can probably be more accurately described as a support for a Sylphon shaped container 22 carrying beryllium powder or chips 24, all in accord with the disclosure contained in the aforesaid copending patent application. The container 22 with beryllium chips and powder 24 therein becomes the work piece upon which the high speed forging operation is to be performed.

Positioned on the head platen 14 is a die member or head 26 which is adapted to engage during the forging operation with the container 22 and passing within the support 2%) during this operation. Usually the container 22 does not move out to engage with the walls of the support 20 during the forging operation so that the support 20 merely acts as a cover surrounding the forged beryllium powder 24 without any die action thereon. However, as described in the copending process application, above-identified, it is possible in the operation of the apparatus of the present invention to actually move die elements into engagement with the beryllium powder or chips or other metal or bodies to effect a forging and forming operation thereon to produce forged objects of various shapes.

The head platen 14- has mounted thereon in the manner shown a plurality of fluid pressure cylinders 28, usually numbering three or four, with each cylinder containing a piston 30 secured to one end of a piston rod 32 whose other end is secured as at 34 to the bed platen 12. The connection at 34- can be made adjustable, by shimming or otherwise, should it become advisable to adjust the distance between the platens 12 and 14 prior to the forging stroke.

Likewise mounted on the head platen 14 is a container 36 for holding fluid under high pressure, for example pressures of 2,000 pounds per square inch and higher. The container 36 is mounted equidistant from and centrally of each of the fluid pressure cylinders 28 and has a main opening 38 connected by branch passages 40 with the end of each cylinder 28 to the left of the pistons 30.

Positioned in the main opening 38 of the container 36 is an appropriate valve for controlling the opening or closing of the container 36 and the passage of the fluid under pressure through the branch passages 40 to each of the cylinders 28. This valve may take a variety of forms, but in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it comprises a plunger 42 having a tapered end 44 sealing against a tapered valve seat in the opening 38. The plunger 42 is secured to a piston 46 slidably received in a cylinder 48 formed on the inside of the head 26. The position of the piston 4-6 and the opening and closing of the valve plunger 4-2 is controlled, as will be evident, by fluid pressure supplied to the cylinder 48 by flexible conduits not shown.

It may be desirable in some uses of the apparatus to provide means for eifectin the cushioning or stopping movement of the platens 12 and 14 towards each other and for this purpose a conduit outlet is provided at the end of each cylinder 28, this outlet being controlled by a valve 52. The valve 52 may normally be open as each piston 39 starts its movement from the left end of the cylinder 28, as seen in FIG. 1, towards the right end, and with a limit switch 54 being tripped by an adjustably positioned stop 56 so as to close the valve 52 when the piston 36 is a selected distance from the righthand end of each cylinder 28.

In addition, it may be desirable to provide an adjustable bypass from one side of the piston 30 to the other to effect a final cushioning action, and in one embodiment this bypass may take the form of slotted openings 58 and 60 positioned in the wall of the cylinder as shown and covered by a slide 62 having a passage 64 connecting the openings 53 and 60. The slide 62 is adapted to be adjusted lengthwise of the cylinder 28 by means of a threaded rod 66 to adjust the point at which the high pressure fluid to the left of the piston 30 is bypassed through passage 64 to the right-hand side of the piston 3h. The slide 62 is formed with slots 68 slidably receiving bolts 7% for securing the slide 52 to each cylinder 28.

In the operation of the apparatus upon beryllium powder and/ or chips, it may be desirable to heat the beryllium powder to a relatively high temperature just prior to forming it. This can be done in a separate furnace with the container 22 being thereafter transierred into position in the support or die Ell. However, it is possible in the apparatus of the invention to actually heat the beryllium powder 24 after the container 22 has been secured in the support or die 2t). To this end, an electrode plate 76 may be held against the end of the container 22 by means of a hydraulic cylinder 78 positioned between the head 26 and the plate 76, in the manner illustrated in the drawing, and with electric current of low voltage and high amperage being passed to the electrode '76 by means of a connection 80, the other connection 82 being taken from the platen 12. Thus, the beryllium powder 26 can be electric resistance heated to the high temperature referred to in the above-identified process patent application prior to forgmg.

It is even possible to effect the initial compression of the beryllium powder 24 during the evacuation of the container 22, all as referred to in the copending process application, by means of the apparatus of the present invention in which the hydraulic cylinder 78 can be utilized to effect this initial compression or the valve plunger 42 can be only partially opened to effect an initial compression on the container 22 through the use of the fluid pressure cylinder 28.

In any event, once the work piece is in condition to be forged by high speed movement the valve plunger 42 is cracked rapidly wide open to pass the high pressure fluid from container 36 through passages 40 to each cylinder 28. The dumping of this pressure to the left of each piston 30, as seen in FIG. 1, drives each piston 30 rapidly to the right pulling the bed platen 12 via the piston rods 32 rapidly to the right. Concurrently the high fluid pressure to the left of each piston 3% acts on the head platen 14 at the end of each cylinder 23; to move the head platen 14 rapidly to the left.

The mass of the head platen l4 and all of the mechanism and apparatus carried thereby is made to be substantially equal to the mass of the bed platen 12 and all of the mechanism and apparatus carried thereby so that each of the platens 12 and 14- move towards each other with substantially equal speed to strike a relatively high speed blow against the container 22 and beryllium powder 24,

4 or other work piece positioned between the platens to effect a very high speed forging operation.

The work piece itself normally acts to absorb a very large percentage of the kinetic energy present in the moving platens or dies, and absorbs this energy over a relatively short distance, but with a cushioning action inherent to the forging of the work piece. When the energy absorbed by the work piece in forming it is properly coordinated with the kinetic energy thrown into the platens it may be unnecessary to close valves 52 or to bypass the fluid pressure from one side of the pistons 3% to the other. On other occasions, particularly those where the kinetic energy of the platens is believed to considerably exceed the forces required in forming the work piece, the valves 52 may be closed by the limit switch 54 and the bypass eflected by the passages 64 in the slides 62 may be utilized to cushion the final movement of the platens toward each other.

It is to be understood that in the operation of the press of the invention that relatively high speed movement of the platens 12 and 14 towards each other is effected. Utilizing fluid pressures in the container 36 in excess of 2,080 pounds per square inch and dumping these upon a plurality of relatively large diameter pistons 30 acts with almost explosive force to rapidly accelerate the platens 12 and 14 towards each other. The actual speed or velocity of movement of the platens or dies at the time of engagement with the work piece is a function of the acceleration rate and the time or distance of acceleration. It is not diificult with the apparatus of the invention to obtain die and platen velocities at the instant of impact with the work piece in excess of 500 feet per second, and as high as 2,080 feet per second. The explosive-like forging action which esults has been found to effect the excellent consolidation of beryllium powders and/or chips, all in accord with the rocess more fully described in my copending application.

By moving platens of substantially equal mass towards each other and then by dissipating the kinetic energy generated into actual work performed and in effecting the stopping movement of both platens a much smoother, shock and vibration free forging action is achieved than is possible in previously known apparatus. Additionally, the apparatus of the invention can be built in a size for operations upon relatively large work pieces.

After the high speed forging operation described fluid is introduced to the right side of each piston 30 to return the platens 12 and 14- to their initial positions, stops 16 and 18 assisting in effecting the centering of the platens. Thereafter, valve plunger 42 is closed, pressure is reestablished in container 36, and the cycle of operation of the apparatus is ready to be repeated.

While a certain representative embodiment and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. High speed forg'mg apparatus including a bed plate, a head plate, guide means mounting each plate for movement towards and from the other, a plurality of fluid pressure cylinders mounted on one plate, a piston in each cylinder, a piston rod connected to each piston at one end and its other end adjustably connected to the other plate whereby upon operation of the cylinders each plate is moved towards or from each other, a container for holding fluid under high pressure, means mounting and positioning said container on the plate supporting the cylinders equidistant between the cylinders, said container having a main opening connected by branch passages to the cylinders, a valve in the main opening to the con tainer, means for opening the valve to simultaneously connect all cylinders to the container, means for mounting a work piece between the plates to be forged when the plates move towards each other at high speed upon the opening of the valve, and means adjustable in amount and extent for cushioning the final movement of the plates towards each other.

2. High speed forging apparatus including a bed plate, a head plate, guide means mounting each plate for movement towards and from the other, a plurality of fluid pressure cylinders mounted on one plate, a piston in each cylinder, a piston rod connected to each piston at one end and its other end connected to the other plate whereby upon operation of the cylinders each plate is moved towards or from each other, a container for holding fluid under high pressure, means mounting and positioning said container on the plate supporting the cylinders equidistant between the cylinders, said container having a main opening connected by branch passages to the cylinders, a valve in the main opening to the container, means for opening the valve to simultaneously connect all cylinders to the container, means for mounting a work piece between the plates to be forged when the plates move towards each other at high speed upon the opening of the valve, and means for cushioning the final movement of the plates towards each other.

3. High speed forging apparatus including a bed plate, a head plate, guide means mounting each plate 'for movement towards and from the other, a plurality of fluid pressure cylinders mounted on one plate, a piston in each cylinder, a piston rod connected to each piston at one end and its other end connected to the other plate whereby upon operation of the cylinders each plate is moved towards or from each other, a container for holding fluid under high pressure, means mounting and positioning said container on the plate supporting the cylinders equidistant between the cylinders, said container having a main opening connected by branch passages to the cylinders, a valve in the main opening to the container, means for opening the valve to simultaneously connect all cylinders to the container, and means for mounting a work piece between the plates to be forged when the plate move towards each other at high speed upon the opening of the valve.

4. High speed forging apparatus including a bed plate, a head plate, guide means mounting each plate for movement towards and from the other, a plurality of fluid pressure cylinders mounted on one plate, a piston in each cylinder, a piston rod connected to each piston at one end and its other end connected to the other plate where by upon operation of the cylinders each plate is moved towards or from each other, a container for holding fluid under high pressure, means connecting the container to each cylinder for supplying fluid under high pressure substantially simultaneously to all cylinders, a valve position in said latter means, means for opening the valve to simultaneously connect all cylinders to the container,

and means for mounting a work piece between the plates to be forged when the plates move towards each other at high speed upon the opening of the valve.

5. High speed forging apparatus including a bed plate, a head plate, guide means mounting each plate for movement towards and from the other, fluid pressure cylinder means mounted on one plate, piston means in said cylinder means, piston rod means connected to said piston means at one end and its other end connected to the other plate whereby upon operation of the cylinder means each plate is moved towards or from each other, container means for holding fluid under high pressure, means mounting and positioning said container on the plate supporting the cylinder means, said container means having an opening to the cylinder means, a valve in the main opening to the container, means for opening the valve to connect the cylinder means to the container, and means for mounting a work piece between the plates to be forged when the plates move towards each other at high speed upon the opening of the valve.

6. High speed forging apparatus including a bed plate, a head plate, guide means mounting each plate for movement towards and from the other, fluid pressure cylinder means mounted on one plate, piston means in said cylinder means, piston rod means connected to said piston means at one end and its other end connected to the other plate whereby upon operation of the cylinder means each plate is moved towards or from each other, container means for holding fluid under high pressure, means connecting the container to the cylinder means for supplying fluid under high pressure substantially simultaneously to all cylinders, a valve posiition in said latter means, means for opening the valve to connect the cylinder means to the container, and means for mounting a work piece between the plates to be forged when the plates move towards each other at high speed upon the opening of the valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,149,641 Temple Mar. 7, 1939 2,204,672 Folberth et al. June 18, 1940 2,218,818 Harrington Oct. 22, 1940 2,464,962 Bent Mar. 22, 1949 2,555,476 Dubois et a1. June 5, 1951 2,580,751 Fletcher Ian. 1, 1952 2,648,949 Taylor Aug. 18, 1953 2,905,080 Toulmin Sept. 22, 1959 2,948,923 LaRocca et a1. Aug. 18, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 400,402 Great Britain Oct. 26, 1933 

6. HIGH SPEED FORGING APPARATUS INCLUDING A BED PLATE, A HEAD PLATE, GUIDE MEANS MOUNTING EACH PLATE FOR MOVEMENT TOWARDS AND FROM THE OTHER, FLUID PRESSURE CYLINDER MEANS MOUNTED ON ONE PLATE, PISTON MEANS IN SAID CYLINDER MEANS, PISTON ROD MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID PISTON MEANS AT ONE END AND ITS OTHER END CONNECTED TO THE OTHER PLATE WHEREBY UPON OPERATION OF THE CYLINDER MEANS EACH PLATE IS MOVED TOWARDS OR FROM EACH OTHER, CONTAINER MEANS FOR HOLDING FLUID UNDER HIGH PRESSURE, MEANS CONNECTING THE CONTAINER TO THE CYLINDER MEANS FOR SUPPLYING FLUID UNDER HIGH PRESSURE SUBSTANTIALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY TO ALL CYLINDERS, A VALVE POSITION IN SAID LATTER MEANS, MEANS FOR OPENING THE VALVE TO CONNECT THE CYLINDER MEANS TO THE CONTAINER, AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING A WORK PIECE BETWEEN THE PLATES TO BE FORGED WHEN THE PLATES MOVE TOWARDS EACH OTHER AT HIGH SPEED UPON THE OPENING OF THE VALVE. 